Cigarette making device



Oct. 18, 1938.

M. F. HEGRAT l CIGARETTE MAKING DEVICE Filed April 19, 1954 '.2 Sheets sheet 1 Oct. 18, 1938. M. F. HEGRAT 2,133,698

CIGARETTE MAKING DEVIQE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 19, 1954 Patented Oct. 18, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 11 Claims.

My invention relates to improvements in cigarette making devices. It has for an object the provision of a device which is simple in construction, compact, and easily operated.

Another object is the provision of a device which may be carried in the pocket of the user and may be used to make cigarettes very hurriedly and very efiiciently. The cigarettes formed in my device may be rolled tightly or loosely delpending upon the desire of the user and adjustment for this purpose may be made very quickly.

Another object is the provision of a device which may be manufactured at small cost and because of the simplicity of construction will operate efliciently for a long period of time.

Other objects will appear hereinafter.

My device may be best understood by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of my preferred form of construction;

Fig. 2 is a front elevational View;

Fig. 3 is an end view in elevation;

Fig. 4 is a view of the opposite end of the device to that shown in Fig. 3 and also is shown in elevation;

Fig. 5 is a sectional View taken substantially on the line 5-5 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 6 is a sectional View taken substantially on the line 6 6 of Fig. 1 and illustrates the de- .vice in an opened position;

Fig. 7 is a View similar to Fig. 6 with the device shown in a different stage of operation;

Fig. 8 is a View similar to Fig. 6 with the device in the position it assumes when the cigarette is completely finished and brought into position by the raising of the lid of the device;

Fig. 9 is a perspective view of the clamping member which is employed to clamp the forming Web on the rollers of the device;

Fig. 10 is an elevational view of the adjusting screw driver which may be employed for making adjustments of the device to provide for tight or loose rolling of cigarettes;

Fig. 11 is a top plan view of the modified form of device;

Fig. 12 is a front elevational view;

Fig. 13 is an end View in elevation;

Fig. 14 is an elevational view of the end opposite that shown in Fig. 13;

Fig. 15 is a sectional view taken substantially onthe line 15-15 of Fig. ll;

Fig. 16 is a sectional view taken substantially on the line 16-16 of Fig. 15;

Fig. 1'1 is a view similar to Fig. l5, but shows the device in a different stage of operation;

Fig. 18 is a View similar to Fig. 1'7 but the device is shown in the stage of operation in which the complete cigarette is ejected for use;

Fig. 19 is an elevational view oi the friction shoe which may be employed with the modified form of my device; and

Fig. 2O is a bottom plan view of the lid member of my modified form of device.

Referring now to the drawings of the preferred form of device, my device comprises a casing 21 having closed ends 22 and 23 and closure lid 24. Lid 24 may be hinged to the upper wall of the casing 2| so as to permit upward movement of said lid.

Referring now to Figs. 6, 7, and 8, my device is provided with internal longitudinal extending rollers 25, 26, and 21. Roller 25 is simply an idling roller and is supported by av longitudinally extending shaft whose opposite ends are received in appropriate bearing apertures in end walls 22 and 23. Roller 26 is likewise supported by a shaft whose opposite ends receive bearing support inappropriate apertures in end walls 22 and 23 and a forming web 28, one of whose ends 29 is anchored to said roller 26 by a clamping member 30. The roller 21 is supported by a longitudinally extending shaft whose opposite ends are anchored in appropriate bearing apertures in ends 22 and 23, and the opposite end 3| of web 28 is clamped to said roller 21 by clamping member 30. Lid 24 is provided with a pair of vertically depending ends 32 and 33, and these ends carry bearing apertures in which a longitudinally extending rod 34 has its opposite ends mounted. The web 28 is passed from roller 21 upwardly to and over rod 34 and downwardly to provide sufiicient slack for the introduction of tobacco 35 as shown in Fig. 6. From the lowermost position which the slack of web 28 assumes in Fig. 6 the web is passed upwardly and over idling roller 25. From the idling roller 25 the web is passed through a reverse bend and clamped onto roller 26. Between the end wall 23 and the ends of the shafts which support rollers 26 and 21 a friction shoe 36 is interposed. The shoe 36 is of suicient length to extend between the ends of the above mentioned shafts and carries apertures therein through which the reduced ends of said shafts protrude. Intermediate the ends of said shoe is provided an aperture through which an attaching screw 31 is passed and anchored in a threaded bore in the end wall 23. 'Ihe rollers 26 and 21 are of course keyed to their shafts by appropriate pins and because of this feature rotate with said shafts. Adjusting screws 38 and 39 pass through end wall 23 and impinge upon the outer face of shoe 36 at points on said shoe 36 on opposite sides of screw 31. The screws 38 and 39 are of course received in appropriate threaded bores in end wall 23 and when turned inwardly force the opposite ends of shoe 36 toward opposite end wall 22. The ends of the shoe then press upon the outer enlarged washers 40 and 4| on the shafts which support the rollers 26 and 21. The frictional engagement caused by this pressure retards any rotation of rollers 25 and26 for a purpose later to be described. The reduced ends of the shafts, which extend through the ends of shoe 36, prevent the rotation of the shoe on screw 31 as its axis. A further means of preventing rotation of the shoe 36 is provided by the groove 53 in which shoe 36 seats. The groove 53 serves the additional function of reducing the protrusion of the shoe from the inner face of end wall 23.

The opposite ends of the shafts are provided with protruding ends 42 and 43, and knurled knobs 44 and 45 may be keyed by set screws or otherwise to ends 42 and 43 respectively.

An appropriate threaded bore 46 is arranged in end wall 23 for the reception of an adjusting tool or screw driver 41 whose shaft is threaded to cooperate with the threaded bore 46. A knurled head 48 of the screw driver 41 is turned tightly so as to secure the screw driver in the bore tightly. The screw driver is thus always at hand when needed for making adjustments of adjusting screws 38 and 39.

The upper face of housing 2| is provided with a longitudinally extending aperture which is covered by lid 24. The edge of the aperture opposite the edge to which the lid 24 is hinged is curved downwardly into a curved guide plate 49 for a purpose later to be described. Adjacent the curved guide plate 49 the free end of lid 24 is curved upwardly as at 50 to provide a guiding surface and a protruding portion by which the lid may be raised on its hinges. The end walls 22 and 23 are secured in place by appropriate screws which extend through the casing material and into the end walls.

The operation of the device will hereinafter be set out. In operation the lid 24 is raised and preferably the web 28 is loosened by pushing the same downwardly into the position shown in Fig. 6. By doing so a U-shaped loop is formed into which the tobacco 35 is placed. Downward pressure on the bottom of the loop formation will of course cause the web to be unrolled from vrollers 26 and 2-1. After sufficient tobacco has been placed in the loop the lid 24 is closed and knob is turned so as to rotate roller 21 in the direction indicated by the arrow in Fig. 6. By so doing the web 28 is rolled onto roller 21, the guide rod 34 is then in the position indie cated in dotted lines in Fig. 6, and as the bottom of the U-shaped loop formation isbrought upwardly the tobacco is rolled into cylindrical formation. In order to roll the tobacco more tightly after knob 45 has been turned as far as possible the knob 44 may be turned in a clockwise direction so as to rotate roller 26 in a clockwise direction from the position indicated in Figs. 6 and 7. Such rotation of the knob 44 will roll the web 28 onto roller 26 from roller 21. When knob 44 has reached its limit of rotation the knob 45 is again rotated in the directionY indi'- cated by the arrow in Fig. 6 so as to cause a like rotation of the roller 21 until the web 28 .is wound upon roller 21. The tobacco` is then in proper formation for the final step in the cigarette making which is the application of the paper to the cylindrical body of tobacco.

Referring now to Fig. 7 the lid 24 is raised slightly as shown in this figure and a cigarette paper 5| having a strip of mucilaginous material 52 on one long edge thereof is inserted between the curved guide plate 49 and the end 50 of lid 24. By pushing the paper into this opening and laying the same on the tobacco it comes in contact with the inside of web 28, and when knob 44 and roller 26 are rotated in the direction indicated by the arrow in Fig. 7 the inner end of paper 5| is carried by the web 28 in a cylindrical path and incases the tobacco 35 therein. When sufficient rotation has occurred to bring the mucilaginous strip 52 close to the curved guard plate 49, moisture may be applied to said strip 52. The further rotation of the roller 26 in the same direction will cause the strip 52 to be drawn into the device and the strip 52 will be sealed onto the now cylindrically formed paper incasing the tobacco. After this has occurred the lid may be raised to the position shown in Fig. 8 and the guide rod 34 will raise the web 28 upwardly so as to carry the completed cigarette into the position shown in this figure.

If the device is not rolling the cigarettes tightly enough the screw driver 41 may be used to tighten screws 38 and 39. The inward pressure of screws 38 and 39 will cause the shoe 36 to be pressed tightly against the washers 48 and 4| on the roller supporting shafts. This inward pressure will frictionally resist the rotation of said shafts by knobs 44 and 45 and the tobacco 35 will be drawn into a smaller and more compactly formed cylinder than would be the case if there were no friction on the washers 40 and 4|. It may be necessary to replace web 26 occasionally with a new one, and this may be easily accomplished by removing end wall 22 or 23. The clamps 30 may then be removed from the web 28, a new one placed on rollers 26 and 21, and the clamps 30 replaced. After the end wall is replaced the device will be in condition for further operation,

A modified form of my device is shown in Figs. 11-20, inclusive, and will now be described. The device comprises mainly a casing 55 having end walls 56 and 51. A lid 58 is hinged to casing 55 and is adapted to cover an opening in the upper face of said casing.

A rotatably mounted idling roller 59 is supported by a shaft whose opposite ends are received in appropriate bearings in end walls 56 and 51. The roller 59 is positioned adjacent the opening in the upper face of casing 55 and also adjacent the upper horizontal wall of said casing. The lid 58 is provided with a pair of depending ears 60 on opposite ends thereof which carry bearing apertures for opposite ends of a. shaft which supports roller 6|. The roller 6| is covered with a coating of resilient material such as rubber sheeting so as to provide a cushion and friction surface. When the lid 58 is in closed position rollers 59 and 6| are in close proximity so that there is only a small amount of space between their peripheries. Notches 62 and 63 are arranged in the upper edges of end walls 56 and 51 for the purpose of receiving the opposite ends of roller 6| when the lid 58 is brought to closed position.

'I'he end walls 56 and 51 are each provided with a. pair of spaced bearing apertures in which the opposite ends of roller shafts 64 are received. These shafts are arranged in substantially the same horizontal plane and are arranged adjacent the bottoms of end walls 56 and 51. Because of the positioning of rollers 64, rollers 59 and 6I are arranged between but above said rollers 64.

A drive roller 65 is supported on a longitudinally extending shaft whose ends receive bearing support in apertures in end walls 56 and 51, and the surface of roller 65 is covered with a strip of resilient, soft, anti-slip rubber 66 for a purpose to be later described. Roller 65 is peferably supported at a point intermediate the upper wall and lower wall of casing 55. An endless web or belt 61 is arranged to pass around and roll upon each of the rollers 59, 6I, 64, and 65. A pressure shoe 68 is provided with an internal semi-cylindrical pressure surface and adapted to press the web 61 against the rubber covering 66 of roller 65. A stud 69 being elongated in cross-section, is adapted to protrude through a similarly shaped aperture in casing 55 and because of the elongated cross-sectional shape prevents the rotation of stud 59 relative to the casing 55. A leaf spring 18 is provided with a central opening similar in shape to the cross-sectional outline of stud 69 and the spring 1G is interposed between the outer con- Vex surface of pressure shoe 68 and the wall of casing 55. A knurled knob 1I may be keyed by a set screw to the shaft which supports actuating roller 65 and the rotation of knob 1| causes the rotation of roller 65.

As before stated the upper face of casing 55 is provided with a longitudinally extending openingwhich is covered by lid 58 when said lid is in closed position. The lid 58 is hinged to one edge of this opening and the opposite edge of the casing is turned and curved downwardly to form a guard lip 12 whose function will be described. The free edge of lid 58 is curved upwardly as at 13 and serves as a guide lip and also as a lifting lip.

The operation of the modified form of my device is as follows: The lid 58 is lifted until the parts of the device assume the position shown in Fig. 15. Tobacco 14 is then inserted in the upwardly opening U-shaped loop of web 61 in a desired quantity. The lid 58 is then closed to the position indicated in dotted lines in the same gure and at this time inward pressure is applied to the outer end of stud 69 if the spring 10 does not cause gripping. Such pressure causes the web 6l to be clamped between the inner pressure surface of shoe 68 and the Outer anti-slip surface of roller 65, and when knob 1I is rotated in the direction indicated by the arrow in Fig. l5 the tobacco 14 is brought into a cylindrical formation. The pressure shoe 68 prevents any slipping of the web 61 on roller 65 and thus causes the open U-shaped loop of web 61 in Fig. 15 to be made smaller as shown in Fig. 16 and causes said web to grip the cylinder of tobacco tightly in this position. The rollers 59 and 6l are spaced apart a very slight distance and barely permit a double thickness of web 61 to be interposed between said rollers. Referring now to Fig. 16 after the tobacco is formed into a cylindrical shape by the rotation of knob 1I the lid 58 is raised slightly by the curved end 13 and a paper wrapper 15 is inserted into the interior of casing 55 and into the position shown in Fig. 16. While stud 69 is still depressed further rotation of knob 1| in the direction indicated by the arrow will cause paper 15 to be carried by web 61 around the cylindrically packed tobacco and when the end 16 of paper 15 is brought to a position adjacent the guard plate 12 it should be moistened so that the mucilage thereon will cause the end 16 to adhere to the outer surface of the cylindrically formed paper. knob 1I will cause the end 16 to be carried into the casing and sealed onto the outer surface of paper 15. After the sealing operation the cigarette is completed and when lid 58 is raised the cigarette will be carried into the position shown 10i tightly throughout the length of the cigarette. 20:?

My device accomplishes my new result because of the fact that the web 28 is of greater width between the ends than it is adjacent the points at which the web 28 is attached to the rollers 26 and 21 in my preferred form. This fact can be 25 clearly seen in Fig. '1. By varying the width of the web 28 and having it wider at its center than at its ends the longitudinal edges of the web are in close proximity to the end walls 22 and 23 at the location where the tobacco is inserted in the 30! device. Since the extreme end portions of the web do not come in contact with the tobacco at any time it is not important that these ends are of less width than the center of the web and the center width is sufficiently great to cause the 35':

packing of the tobacco at the extreme ends of the cigarettes. The ends of the web 28 are made of less width so that the longitudinal edges of the ends will not be damaged by contact with the washers 4D or 4l. tion may have a web having a uniform width through its entire extent and because of this fact and the close proximity of the longitudinal edges of the web to the inner faces of the end walls the extreme end portions of the cigarettes will be 45:

tightly packed.

In addition to the other advantages above pointed out it is possible with my device to manufacture cigarettes which may vary in crosssectional dimension from one-eighth to one-half inch by the simple procedure of varying the amount of tobacco used. In order to secure a more tightly packed cigarette the adjusting screws heretofore described in connection with my preferred form may be tightened. The final 55.

step of embracing the cylindrical body of tobacco with the cigarette paper is accomplished in a very simple manner and does not depend upon pushing the paper any considerable distance into the device. After the paper is laid upon the 60 tobacco further slight movement of the web causes the paper to be carried into the device and around the tobacco. When the mucilaginously treated edge of the cigarette paper approaches curved lip 58 of the preferred form 65 or curved lip 13 of the modified form moisture may be applied to the mucilaginous strip while the strip receives support from either of the curved lips mentioned. The final sealing' operation is accomplished in such a manner that due 7015 Further rotation of 51% My modified form of construc- 4b vantages set out it may be economically manufactured and is extremely easy to operate.

While I have shown and described my preferred form of construction I do not wish to be limited to the details of said preferred form of construction or the modified form of construction shown herein, but wish to avail myself of all variations coming within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A device of the character described, comprising a casing having an opening therein, a web member in said casing beneath said opening and adapted to form a substantially U -Shaped pocket for tobacco, means for restricting the open portion of said U-shaped pocket, means for moving said web so as to reduce the crosssectional dimension of said U-shaped pocket, and constrictively grip the tobacco therein, and means operable independently of said restricting means for regulating the tension on said web to vary the degree of looseness of the tobacco in the finished cigarette` 2. A device of the character described comprising a casing having an opening therein, a web member in said casing beneath said opening and adapted to form a substantially U-shaped pocket for tobacco, means for restricting the open portion of said U-shaped pocket, means for moving said web so as to reduce the cross-sectional dimension of said U-shaped pocket and tensioning means for said web spaced relatively to said restricting means, substantially as described.

3. A device of the character described comprising a casing having an opening therein, a web member in said casing beneath said opening and adapted to form a substantially U-shaped pocket for tobacco, means for restricting the open portion of said U-shaped pocket, means for moving said web so as to reduce the cross-sectional dimension of said U-shaped pocket and constantly applied tensioning means for said web, substantially as described.

4. A device of the character described cornprising a casing having an opening therein, a web member in said casing beneath said opening and adapted to form a substantially U-shaped pocket for tobacco, means for restricting the open portion of said U-shaped pocket, means for moving said web so as to reduce the crosssectional dimension of said U-shaped pocket, constantly applied tensioning means for said web and means for adjusting said tensioning means to vary the degree of looseness of the tobacco in the finished cigarette.

5. A device of the character described comprising a casing having an opening therein, av

web member in said casing beneath said opening and adapted to form a substantially U-shaped pocket for tobacco, means for restricting the open portion of said U-shaped pocket, said means comprising a swingable guide member for pressing one side of said U-shaped pocket toward its other side, means for moving said web so as to reduce the cross-sectional dimension of said U- shaped pocket and constrictively grip the tobacco therein; and means for guiding the gum on the 1g edge of the paper away from the web, substantially as described.

6. A device of the character described, comprising a casing having an opening therein, a web member in said casing beneath said opening and adapted to form a substantially U-shaped pocket for tobacco, means for restricting the open portion of said U-shaped pocket, said means comprising a swingable guide member for pressing one side of said U-shaped pocket toward its other side, means for moving said web so as to reduce the cross-sectional dimension of said U- shaped pocket and constrictively grip the tobacco in said pocket, said last mentioned means comprising a pair of spaced rollers, each of said rollers having an end of said web attached thereto so that the rotation of one of said rollers will cause the winding up of said web on said roller and the unwinding of said web from the other of said rollers, the Wall of said casing adjacent said opening being curved inwardly to guide the gummed edge of the paper away from the web, and spring members for supporting one end of said rollers to produce tension in said web, substantially as described.

'7. A device as set forth in claim 6 further characterized by means entirely within the outer surface of the easing for varying the tension of the spring members on the ends of said rollers to regulate the tension of the web, as and for the purpose specified.

8. A device of the character described, com-v prising a casing having an opening therein, a continuous web member in said casing beneath said opening and adapted to form a substantially U-shaped pocket for tobacco, means for restricting the open portion of said U-shaped pocket, said means comprising a swingable guide member for pressing one side of said U-shaped pocket toward its other side, means for moving said web so as to reduce the cross-sectional dimension of said U-shaped pocket, said last-mentioned means including a pair of spaced rollers, a resilient frictional surface on one of said rollers and means for turning the last said roller, substantially as described.

9. A device as set forth in claim 8 in combination with a friction shoe adapted to engage the web adjacent the roller having the resilient surface and means for applying pressure to said shoe, substantially as described.

10. A device of the character described, comprising a casing having an opening therein, a web member in said casing beneath said opening and adapted to form a substantially U- shaped pocket for tobacco, means for restricting the open portion of said U-shaped pocket, means for moving said web so as to reduce the cross sectional dimension of said pocket, and the wall of said casing adjacent said opening being curved inwardly and downwardly to guide the gum on the edge of the paper away from the web as it is fed into the device, substantially as described.

11. A device as set forth in claim 6 further characterized by screw means for varying the tension of the spring members on the ends of said rollers to regulate the tension of the web, said means being substantially flush with the outer surface of the casing and acting to force the spring against said rollers.

MILO FRANK HEGRAT. 

